Save A Lot makes its return to Prestonsburg, Kentucky

Save A Lot has returned to Prestonsburg, Kentucky, with a new store.

The limited-assortment, discount grocery banner on Wednesday opened its doors at 525 Village Drive, taking over the space from a Just Save Foods supermarket (a Lowes Foods/Alex Lee retail banner) that had opened in 2019, replacing a former Save A Lot location.

The Prestonsburg Save A Lot, situated in the eastern part of the state and open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, is owned by Campbellsville, Kentucky-based Saver Group Inc., which has 49 stores in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.

“We are excited to bring the Save A Lot banner back to Prestonsburg,” Larry Noe, who owns the store with Saver Group partners Dale and Wendell Combs, said in a statement. “My business partners, Dale and Wendell Combs, and I understand that residents deserve high-quality food at a value price point that works for them. We think the Save A Lot brand helps us deliver that to our neighbors in Floyd County, and we can’t wait to have people experience this new option in town.”

Save A Lot CEO Leon Bergmann (4th from left) at the Prestonsburg store ribbon-cutting with Saver Group owners Dale and Wendell Combs and Larry Noe and COO Keith DeFisher, as well as local officials. / Photo courtesy of Save A Lot

At the new store’s grand-opening event on Wednesday, Save A Lot CEO Leon Bergmann joined the Saver Group's owners and Chief Operating Officer Keith DeFisher, along with the Floyd County Chamber of Commerce, for a ribbon-cutting. A cookout in the parking lot offered customers free samples, including Eckrich and Smithfield sausage, among other items. The first 100 people in line received a free item, and the grocer is continuing the giveaway through Tuesday for the first 100 people to enter the store.  

“We’re thrilled to have the Saver Group add Prestonsburg to the list of hometowns that get to experience what the Save A Lot brand is all about,” Bergmann commented. “We know the Save A Lot brand brings unmatched value and quality to over 800 communities nationwide and can’t wait for the Prestonsburg community to experience that for themselves.”

Just over a year ago, St. Ann, Missouri-based Save A Lot shifted from a retail to a wholesale business model, in which independent grocers own and operate Save A Lot supermarkets via a relicensing program and receive marketing and other support services, including private label. In January, Save A Lot also capped off a business refinancing that began three years ago. The banner’s retail network now encompasses more than 800 stores in 32 states.

Save A Lot locations run about 16,000 square feet and carry around 2,000 SKUs, with an inventory of roughly 70% private brands. Through an everyday-low-pricing strategy, the retailer offers savings of up to 40% over conventional supermarkets on private- and national-brand products, USDA-inspected meat, farm-fresh produce and nonfood items.